You've been sold by podcasts/books/vlogs that real estate can make you rich over night and it's passive.

VRBO does not seem to do the same guest verification or background checks as Airbnb and you have to opt in to Damage Protection (insurance or deposit) which I've read can detract people from booking.

I'm doing tpc compliant texting to motivated sellers to book appointments. 

If you read Brian's informative book, you will learn that he finds integrity to be #1.

Another option if you're looking for something with higher yield than index funds, that's hands off, and will teach you a lot about real estate investing without having to do it yourself could be investing in syndications which is referred to in the book Jonathan recommended.

Quote from @Matt Weddon: Really what generated this question was a section from Brandon and Heather Turner's Management Book, which has been incredibly informative and helpful.

Yup this is right out of the Sub Too guys play book. 

Our experience is Airbnb, 60% of bookings, Zillow, 30%, Furnished Finder, 1 booking.

Michael,   A good book to purchase is "Professional Real Estate Development: The ULI guide to Business.   

Additionally, consider operational costs like cleaning, staffing, and marketing, as they can quickly add up.For management, outsourcing to a professional property manager or leveraging tech platforms for bookings and operations could streamline things, especially if you plan to scale.